Because I answered some technical questions on an earlier work of his, UK Aviation Artist Pete Wenman featured my old aircraft, NF-213 in his latest work, By the Dawn's Early Light.
This 36"x24" oil on canvas original should be on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola next summer...
The middle aircraft in the painting – NF- 210 - is "in a zillion pieces on a karst ridge" in North Vietnam, as described by its RIO. He was shot down, severely wounded and captured along with his pilot. Both became POWs, and both thankfully returned.
His recent words regarding the painting and his POW experience:
”Aside from the very occasional MiGCAP, the best hops a j.o. could draw were the armed recces in route pack 5/6 at first light -- targets of opportunity as mostly we defined them, hoping to catch those night trucks trying to squeeze in a few extra kilometers before parking under the trees for the day.
(Don't think that scenario didn't occur to Ted and I when we were being trucked to Hanoi).
RIP NF210 in a zillion pieces on a karst ridge in Thanh Hoa Province. Lost on one of those low altitude, go fast, flak magnet, Baby Giant photo escort missions, that we all came to enjoy, on 27 Aug over Phu Ly Bridge when all hell broke loose and luck petered out."
I saw Ted a few times after he was repatriated. But I hadn't seen Dave since the day he was shot down, until this past summer. It was a very good and heartfelt reunion.
Other aviation art by Pete.
[Sorry for the shameless plug, but these guys help keep our history alive, long after we are gone.]
That is a VERY cool picture.
